Page 6 of Demanding Mob Boss

I think I’m going to have to put a couple of cameras in her apartment too. I'll need to find out her roommate's work schedule, but once I do, picking the lock on their door and getting the cameras in place will be easy. It's the kind of stuff I've been doing since I was a boy, training under my dad to take over the Doyle clan one day.

Maybe I can get it done today. That would be good.

ANNA

Cian has a meeting with a bunch of men in his office. They've been arriving for the past thirty minutes. Connor doesn’t introduce any of them and I don't mind. I don't like meeting new people and these men are all like Mr. Farrar, with an air of repressed violence around them. I keep my head down and focus on my work, so no one talks to me.

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes," someone says from in front of my desk.

I force myself to look up. The man standing there is almost as tall as Cian, but he's not as broad. His hair is brown, and his eyes are dark too. He's wearing an expensive suit and his smile makes me think of a shark.

I don't say anything, waiting to see what he wants.

He comes around and leans against the side of my desk. "When did you start working for Cian?"

Pushing my chair back, I stand up. "I need to do some filing." He's in my personal space and I don't want him there.

"Murphy," Cian barks from the open door to his office. "Get your ass in here."

"Give me a minute, I want to get to know this sweet little employee of yours a little better." He sounds like he expects Cian to go back into his office.

My muscles tense and I look at my boss, hoping the man called Murphy is wrong.

Cian moves with the stealth and the speed of a panther across the office and grabs Mr. Murphy. "Get the fuck away from her."

He tosses the other man like he weighs nothing. Mr. Murphy lands against the wall by Cian's office door with a thud. I'm sure this show of physical dominance should upset me. Ini wouldn't like it. But I find it way less stressful than having Mr. Murphy in my personal space.

He stumbles, but he stays upright. "It's like that, is it?"

"My employees, like my clan, are off limits. You want to talk to one of them, you fucking show respect and ask."

Mr. Murphy doesn't seem offended. He smiles and this time, he seems genuinely amused. "Hey, Cian, I want to ask your receptionist here out. That okay by you?"

I don't give my boss a chance to answer. "I'm not a receptionist and I'm not interested," I say, feeling like my heart is going to beat out of my chest.

Cian nods to me then glares at Mr. Murphy. "You heard her. Stop pestering my employee, and get into the meeting. We're done waiting on you."

The way he saysmy employeesends a frisson of confusing delight through me. He's just a really possessive guy. I get that, but it sounds personal. In my heart of hearts, where I don't let anyone see, I wish itwaspersonal.

Mr. Murphy winks at me. "Maybe another time."

The air around Cian charges with menace.

"All right, all right, I'm going." Mr. Murphy puts his hands up like he's surrendering, but nothing else about him gives the impression he's giving in.

I don't want to be here when the men come out of Cian's office. Maybe I can time my lunch hour to coincide with the end of the meeting.

Though I don't know how I'm supposed to know when that will be. Connor is attending the meeting as well. The phone on my desk rings and I know I have to answer it since Connor forwarded calls to my line while he's in the meeting.

"Doyle & Byrne," I answer.

So far, I haven't met any Byrnes but the parent company must have been started by one, along with one of Cian's ancestors.

"It's Jimmy, lass. I could use some help with my filing. Will you come to my office?"

I don't know what to do. I want to be out of here when the meeting ends, but I don't want to do something that will upset Connor or our boss.

"Cian approved it," Jimmy adds.

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